I just tried boiling water in some foil I had in my PSK. As I unfolded the square foot of foil to make a container I found that the foil had torn at one of the creases. With the remaining 8 X 12 inch sheet I folded the foil over itself to form a dual layer container that held about 8 ounces of water. No leaks so far. I put it over a small flame from a burner on my stove and let it sit. After a few minutes I got small bubbles. A short while later the foil began to make a popping/crackling sound, but the water never came to a rumbling boil. I tried this test a second time but could not get the water to violently bubble. When I turned up the flame it just pushed up on the center of the container causing water to spill out. After my experiment I set the container aside and noticed a couple drips falling off of it. Very small, but a leak none the less. I would like to try one of those disposable baking trays that you guys have talked about. Has anyone that has boiled water in foil been able to produce large bubbles that are normally associated with boiling or am I doing something wrong?

I never bought the idea of boiling water in folder aluminium foil. Find a metal cup you like instead.

You need to bring it with you for it to be useful (different story!).

I dug my baking sheet foil out of my BOB, folded a 9" X 8" piece into a single layer cup, and set it over a can of Sterno. There was one pinhole at the very edge of the foil that I easily avoided. I had bubbles within 7 minutes and a full boil within 10. It did not come to what I would call a rolling boil like you would get in a pan, but I don't think that is very important. As long as the water reaches boiling temps you will be fine.

One interesting thing I noticed was that the foil cup boiled much faster over the Sterno than my Campmor steel cup does. (10 minutes vs. 18 minutes.) I attribute this to the uneven surface of the foil cup acting more like a chimney (for want of a better word) than the smooth surface of the cup, or maybe it has to do with the properties of aluminum vs. steel.

Or do what many of us do and bring both. It never hurts to have a backup, and you can also use the foil for roasting, as a fire reflector, or to shiny up a fishing lure. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Buckshot13 , I agree with Bee and Norad45, I had tried Hefty Oven liners, turkey pans etc.. and they did not leak when I first took my fist and made a cup out of the aluminum,
But when I took another sheet out (had to cut the sheet out of the pan) (Very Very sharp edges) I tested it after I packed it. I folded it and folded it as if it were going in my pack, then unfolded it and held it up to the light and noticed the pin holes again. It would definitely boil water after some time but it leaked a lot as the hotter it got. I realized that all this is fine until you start folding things together and the metal starts work harden and starts to get small cracks resulting into small holes. Then I decided to go with the stainless steel 32 oz bottle cup and use the aluminum as a primary cooking surface. I wouldn’t put my life on the line with this thin aluminum, maybe a aluminum cup but definitely not foil of any kind. If going out into a unknown, take the cup.


Cup